ANDRE 3000 Vinyl & CDs

Review: Was anyone ready for one of the most talked-about albums of the year to be Andre 3000 going ham on the flute? Probably not, but in a post-reality world New Blue Sun just slots right in. Of course the legions of Outkast fans are going to be split when an artist of such prominence takes a wild swerve into experimental musical pastures, but for those with an open mind or a pre-existing appreciation of ambient and leftfield music, this album is an easy sell. Teasing the tension between acoustic and electronic, ancient and hypermodern, grounded and ethereal, Andre has been bold and honest in presenting this album to the world and his gamble has paid off.

Review: Andre 3000s 87-minute flute epic makes it onto a double CD courtesy of Sony. One of the most intriguing, enveloping and therapeutic LPs of 2023, New Blue Sun sees the Outkast veteran drop the mic in favour of myriad flutes, both digital and acoustic, creating a loose, patient album which sounds somewhat like the lovechild of Jon Hassell and Ras G. The whimsically named tracks unfold in a languid dream sequence, feeling improvised but focused, sparse yet dense, and deeply emotive throughout. 3000's far-from-virtuosic flute performances add to the charm and unpredictability of the album, and ensure that the overwhelmingly gentle music doesn't veer too far into vapid new-agery. One for yer pensive off-days!